Intrauterine device



Jan. 25, 1966 c. H. BIRNBERG ET AL 3,230,953

INTRAUTERINE DEVICE Filed Jan. 50, 1963 INVENTOR. CH/HPLES H B/f/Y' r;

United States Patent 3,230,953 INTRAUTERINE DEVICE Charles H. Birnherg, 191 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., and John'L. Marco, 4 Kenneth Ave, Old Bridge, NJ. Filed Jan. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 254,911 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-130) The present invention is directed to an improved intrauterine device and more particularly to an improved intrauterine de ice which will not be ejected by the uterus.

Intrauterine devices of varied construction, such as Graefenberg rings, have been used for many years. However, one of the problems encountered in using such devices is that the contractions of the uterus tends to eject such intrauterine devices therefrom.

In order to avoid this, attempts have been made to use a number of coils and rings of varied construction. However, such coils and rings have been unsatisfactory because they are still subject to being ejected by the contractions of the uterus.

The present invention provides an improved intrauterine device which will not be ejetced from the uterus.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved intrauterine device which is of simple construction.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved intrauterine device which may be readily detected without a physical examination.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved mechanism for inserting an intrauterine device.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the improved intrauterine device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exaggerated end view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a uterus showing the intrauterine device of the present invention positioned therein;

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modification of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the inserting mechanism for inserting the intrauterine device; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the front end of the inserting mechanism shown in FIG. 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 to 4, the intrauterine device 1 comprises a pair of end legs 2 connected together by supporting bars 3. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the supporting bars 3 intersect each other to connect opposite edges of the end legs 2 to form corners 4. Preferably the end legs 2 and the supporting bars 3 are integral with each other and are of uniform cross-section. The end legs 2 are preferably bowed or curved as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 for a purpose which will hereinafter be referred to.

The intrauterine device 1 is preferably made of a polyethylene material or some other resilient plastic material so that it will easily ilex and will not damage the uterine walls.

When the device is inserted into the cavity 6 of a uterus '7, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the corners 4 of the device "ice 1 will abut against the inner walls of the uterus and be held in place. Any contractions of that uterus will tend to press the uterine walls against the corners 4 of the intrauterine device with greater force to prevent ejection. Furthermore, the pressure from the uterine walls will bend the device in the direction of the curve or how in the end legs 2 so that the device will not be expelled. In fact, any contractions of the uterus will tend to more firmly hold the device therewithin.

In order to permit the intrauterine device to be X-rayed, it may be coated with a substance sensitive to X-rays or a metallic stud 8 may be placed at the intersection of the two supporting bars 3 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In this manner the presence of the intrauterine device may be determined by an X-ray without the necessity of a physical examination.

The modification shown in FIG. 5 illustrates a modification in which a tail 30 extends from the device 1. The tail 30 has a plurality of knobs 31 spaced at predetermined intervals, such as 1 cm. apart. With this structure the tail 3% will lie outside the uterus so that the presence of the device may be determined by manual examination and the length of the canal may be determined by the knobs 31.

The inserting mechanism 10, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, comprises a hollow tube 11 having a flexible hose 12 mounted at its forward end and an enlarged flange 16 at its lower end. The tube 11 is provided with a retractable plunger 13 therein which is mounted on and controlled by a knob 14 located outside its lower end. A spring 15 is mounted between the flange 16 and the knob 14 to keep the plunger 13 in a retracted position. The plunger 13 has a resilient wire 17 extending from its forward end which lies within hose 12. The wire 17 is provided with an enlarged portion 18 having a hook 19 thereon.

In use, the hook 19 is extended by the user, as shown in FIG. 6 by pushing on knob 14. The leg 2 of the intrauterine device 1 is grasped by the extended hook 19. The hook 19 is then retracted to move the intrauterine device 1 wholly within the flexible outer hose 12, as shown in FIG. 6. The hose 12 is then inserted into the uterus and the hook 19 again extended to deposit the intrauterine device 1 into the uterus.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an improved intrauterine device which will not be ejected by the uterus, which is easy to manufacture and which can be easily detected by X-rays. The present invention also provides an improved inserting mechanism for an intrauterine device.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as iilustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. An intrauterine device made from a substantially resilient flexible plastic material comprising a pair of opposed end legs, supporting bars connecting said end legs together and being integral therewith, said supporting bars intersecting each other and being integral with each other at the point of intersection, said supporting bars connecting opposite edges of said end legs together and being at an acute angle to said end legs at the edges thereof.

2. An intrauterine device made from a substantially resilient material comprising a pair of substantially parallel end legs, supporting bars connecting said end legs together and being integral therewith, said supporting bars intersecting each other and being integral with each other at the point of intersection and connecting opposed edges of said end legs together.

3. An intrauterine device made from a substantially resilient flexible plastic material comprising a pair of substantially parallel end legs, at least a portion of each end leg being curved in a direction away from the plane of said device, supporting bars connecting said end legs together and being integral therewith, said supporting bars intersecting each other and being integral with each other at the point of intersection and connecting opposed edges of said end legs together.

4, An intrauterine device made from a substantially rodlike, endless resilient flexible plastic material comprising a pair of substantially parallel end legs, at least a portion of each end leg being curved in a direction away from the plane of said device, supporting bars connecting said end legs together and being integral therewith, said supporting bars intersecting each other and being integral with each other at the point of intersection and connecting opposed edges of said end legs together.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 40,949 12/ 1863 Scattergood 128-127 662,716 11/1900 Gaedeke 128127 X 1,896,071 2/1933 Clark 12813O 2,176,559 10/1939 Meckstroth 128-130 2,239,584 4/1941 Zane 24261 2,854,717 10/1958 OFarrell et a1. 24261 X 2,855,932 10/1958 Stubbs 128-260 3,077,879 2/1963 Knoch 128130 FOREIGN PATENTS 426,585 3/1926 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES Catalogue of Surgical Instruments, Knouth Brothers, 1891, plate 43, 128-127, copy in Group 480.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INTRAUTERINE DEVICE MADE FROM A SUBSTANTIALLY RESILIENT FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL COMPRISING A PAIR OF OPPOSED END LEGS, SUPPORTING BARS CONNECTING SAID END LEGS TOGETHER AND BEING INTEGRAL THEREWITH, SAID SUPPORTING BARS INTERSECTING EACH OTHER AND BEING MATERIAL WITH EACH OTHER AT THE POINT OF INTERSECTION, SAID SUPPORTING BARS CONNECTING OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID END LEGS TOGETHER AND BEING AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO SAID END LEGS AT THE EDGES THEREOF. 